Fall of the Future
by Lithe
Summary: The year is 2263 in a lawless galaxy and a chaotic time for the Draconic Empire. Yeah Empire. Spyro is presumed dead after an enemy attack decimated his homeworld. Who will restore peace? Please Read and Review! Rated for Extreme gore and swearing.
1. My Story

**I do not own Spyro or any other  
non-original content in the  
following passage.**

**This is my first fan fic. Positive  
feedback would be greatly appreciated. **

Fall of the Future

This is an Assembler. An artifact of nanotechnology. They are designed to manipulate objects on the atomic level. Millions can rest undetected in a crevasse on your hand. Only a dusting of atoms wide, each is powerful enough to start building a tank from a handful of mud and gravel in a matter of hours, one subatomic particle at a time. The untold trillions in the Adaptive Construction Engines being used today can fabricate a plane out of a pile of slag and sea water in mere seconds. This is the Nano Age. It has brought about the most efficient Construction Engine ever created yet it has given birth to the most horrific weapon ever imagined.

I have been called Psycho, Deadeye, Neo and many other names. Don't get me wrong these aren't insults. In fact, they're the best compliments my squad mates can come up with. We are marines for the Galactic Draconian Coalition. Every soldier was bio-engineered without wings, a tail, horns or the sharp spikes on a dragons back. That is the only real difference as the military thought them to be a waste. I still had the lack of the aforementioned characteristics but I was somehow different. I didn't find out until that fateful day I was labeled K.I.A. Yeah I was supposed to have died. But something went wrong... no BiDras (bio engineered dragons) as they called us were supposed to have any family or relations but I did. I was not supposed to know until I was marked a potential "Scarecrow" They knew why I was different and I found out. I did have a father. I was not just another rank-and-file creation to fight and to die. I had purpose, greater than that of a grunt. They planned this all along and felt that I was ready. Was I? Hell No! I am Flair Selianar and this is my story.

**I know this dosent look like a  
Spyro story yet and its short but  
this is just some backstory it will  
pick up in later chapters.**


	2. The Calm Before The Storm

Name: Flair Selianar

Species: BiDra

Sex: Male

Color: Deep Purple

Affiliates: Galactic Draconian Coalition, Delta Squad

Role: Squad Leader

Rank: Sergeant

Characteristics/Skills: Close Quarters Combat, Marksmanship, Morale, Tactics, Strong American Accent, **WARNING CATEGORIZATION ERROR**

Name: Bower Gilead

Species: BiDra

Sex: Male

Color: Light Purple

Affiliates: Galactic Draconian Coalition, Delta Squad

Role: Support Rifleman

Rank: Lieutenant

Characteristics/Skills: Very good Aim, Creative Use of Weapon, Tolerance to Pain, Rarely Questions Orders, Low and Mature American Accent

Name: Cypher Tanden

Species: BiDra

Sex: Male

Color: Deep Blue

Affiliates: Galactic Draconian Coalition, Delta Squad

Role: Hacker

Rank: Corporal

Characteristics/Skills: Excellent Hacker, Rarely Worries, Fair Aim, Thinks Quickly, The Squad's Local Wiseacre, Relaxed American Accent

Name: Mako Arrkon

Species: BiDra

Sex: Male

Color: Bright Orange

Affiliates: Galactic Draconian Coalition, Delta Squad

Role: Demolitions Expert

Rank: Corporal

Characteristics/Skills: Often uses Excessive Force, Likes to Blow Stuff Up, Finds Combat Stimulants Soothing, Rushes into a Fight without Forethought, Cocky Australian Accent

Name: App Drekkarn

Species: BiDra

Sex: Male

Color: Crimson

Affiliates: Galactic Draconian Coalition, Delta Squad

Role: Sniper

Rank: Corporal

Characteristics/Skills: Extreme Tolerance to Pain, Almost Never Misses, Good at Staying Calm, Almost Never Questions Orders, Is Mostly Quiet, Has a Bloodlust, Very Low and Raspy American Accent

Name: Aurora Calhoun

Species BiDra

Sex: Female

Color: Turquoise

Affiliates: Galactic Draconian Coalition, Delta Squad

Role: Medic

Rank: Corporal

Characteristics/Skills: Rarely gets Distracted, Very Skilled at Healing, Quick Reflexes, Willing to Risk Life for Teammates, Airy Soldier like American Accent

The ageing grey dragon stepped away from the console. He looked around. The bridge of the Arrowhead was packed with dragons busying themselves at terminals, plotting the course, filtering transmissions and just generally making a lot of noise. Categorization Error? That can't be… The new troops have exceeded even my expectations but Flair, there was just something different about him. I do remember that he was special but this, this is just unexpected. He closed down the file of Flair and his squad. Hmm…… It all points to one conclusion….. but it cant be….. he cant be….. a Psyker? Deep in thought he didn't notice a tan dragoness rushing towards him. "Sir! Reports are flooding in from installation Oh-Four. They report they are under siege by the Red Hand mercenary group! Requesting heavy reinforcements." The captain now stood with rapped attention to every word that the Lieutenant spoke. "I want three platoons of infantry down there now! Air support and heavy armor if needed!" as an afterthought he added "Send in Delta squad aswell!" This might be a good test for the boy. "Has Flair been given the implant yet?" "Yessir, the squad is on standby sir!" Came the response. "Full alert! Get those troops down there double time! Have Kraya inserted into Flair via Soulcatcher and send them down ASAP." He turned back towards the viewport and stared out at the lush green planet bustling with life and trade. He gave a heavy sigh, the next battle would either Make or Break Flair's future, all that dependant on who they thought he was, who they thought he would be. And the saddest part was that he had no way of preparing him for what he had to face in the urban killing field of Installation 04. He's done it all before, fought many courageous wars and always came out on top but this was different. He didn't know why but in the next few hours, Delta Squad would see more blood, guts and gore than many of my most seasoned soldiers. Flair would have to face his destiny, or die trying.


	3. Installation 04

**I don't own Spyro or any other stuff not by me i.e. chainswords, gods of chaos and... well sofar very few stuff. All property goes to their respective owners. This would be kinda my idea of what war would be like between dragons and other forces in a futuristic setting. Ya kno not just the cute, harmless fantasy Spyro and friends fighting evil. Expect Warhammer 40,000 style and lots of gore. **

Installation 04

Flair's Point Of View

I slotted the small, thumb-sized chip into the side of my helmet. "Hmmm, roomy" Kraya commented before settling into the depths of my head. The ground was fast-approaching as the VTOL set us down a couple of kliks away from Installation 04. The craft kicked up dirt and trash as it lifted off again, returning to base while Kraya explained our mission to me and my squad. "Okay, we need to go in there and take out the AA Rail Guns so that reinforcements can be dropped in by air. Intel reports the leader of the Red Hand, Bane is personally overseeing the operation. This is big. A very important target for the Red Hand. Also, satellite scans indicate they are really holed up in there. Its gonna be tough." "We'll be fine." I reply coldly. It was just another mission. In and out. Kill and don't be killed. Another day in the life of one of the GDC's most successful squads.

We started off at a run and came to a stop at the end of the boulevard opening into the main area. I crouched and looked around the corner to see a massive skyscraper towering above the rest of the city. About a mile high it was the pinnacle of research and technology on the planet. It stood straight up, like a oblong needle slicing into the sky. I whistled through my teeth in admiration. "Okay, on three. One, Two, Three, Go!" We charged straight for the blast door and without a sound I signaled to the door with both my Middle and Index fingers. "Door breach maneuver!" I bark out. The squad sprang into action as App placed a sequencer to blow out the lock while Mako and Cypher moved to cover positions. App placed the small, red object on the blast door's lock mechanism and moved away as me, Bower and Aurora prepared to file in and take down any enemy troops. It blew, the door opened, we filed in one by one. All this happened in seconds.

I brought my weapon to bear, meeting the surprised looks in the many guard's eyes. BAM! I fired and a bullet buried itself in the shoulder of a first merc, then another in his gut. A third in his hand and he was no longer a threat. I swiveled to take in the other guards raising their rifles but what good was a rifle without a brain? In the next few seconds the soldiers knew, as it was forcibly relocated onto the wall by means of a 9mm bullet. I strafed and opened up full-auto as the remaining enemies ducked for cover behind desks, photocopiers and the general office doodad. I primed a couple of disc charges, which I then tossed over their cover and with a grin, heard a resounding BOOM and a scream or two. "Fan out!" I ordered and my squad followed suit. "Could you possibly make any more noise?" Kraya said, irritated. I pick up a rocket launcher. "Huh, well I guess so." "You've grown too used to covert ops Kraya." I reply, grinning. "Let's split up. Find the six Rail Guns and take them out."

We all took a lift to the 162nd floor where the guns are located and I ordered, "Aurora, go West, Mako East, App will go South and Cypher Will take the one to the North. The other two are for me and Bower. We all meet back here after commencing disabling maneuvers. Any questions?" "'Disabling maneuvers' sir?" inquired App. Then Cypher spoke up. "Uhhh….Blow Stuff Up" "Oh, yeah… right." He replied sheepishly. I took the south west corridor and followed a seemingly endless trail of twists and turns down high-tech, sterile white passages when I noticed I was being followed. I don't know how I knew… it was just one of those feelings you get. To me it's kind of like a 6th sense. Up ahead, a dead end. Passages to both my left and my right. A millisecond to duck into either side and avoid being riddled by 12mm shots. The odds are not good.

I heard the clink of a finger on a trigger and then a hail of rounds came out of nowhere. I don't know how, but I just did. I dodged every one of them. My body instinctively jerked and ducked to avoid the oncoming rounds. In fact that's why they called me Neo. I could basically see the rounds coming at me and I dodged them with indragon speed and agility. And as it turns out Kraya was waiting for something like this. I heard a gasp from behind me and pulled out my .45, absentmindedly aimed straight behind me and fired. There was a cry of pain, I could see my bullet lodged in an invisible target and I could see my targets blood through him on the wall.

The air around the cloaker shimmered and there he appeared, grasping a wound in his gut to try and stop the bleeding. Breathing heavily, he tried to call for backup but I took the remote and crushed it in my bare hand. With a almost evil glint in my eye I loaded my pistol, lowered it to the captive's head and… I withdrew it. Was this really me? The rush of adrenaline ended. What was I doing? "Well, genius," spoke a little voice in my head, "you nearly killed our informant" Kraya. "Whadaya mean?" I say. "Well, your secondary objective is to eliminate Bane, the leader of the Red Hand operation and cloakers are very high in rank. He might know where he is and how well he is protected." "Wow, id better start telling HQ to stop making you AI this smart, it's giving squad leaders a bad name." I muse.

I pistol-whip him across the face. "Bane, where is he?" The cloaker sneers at me and stays silent. I grab him by the throat, slam him up against the wall and put my gun to his head. "Where…Is…Bane?" I say in his face. I could see the fear mounting. I busted open a window with my right elbow and leaned him out of it. I feign dropping him and ask him again. "It's a long way down. Bane or the sidewalk." The cloaker whimpers and says rapidly "He's on the top floor! Guarded by 6 of his best personal bodyguards! You'll never get to him!" I give a smile and knock him out cold onto the floor. "Well that wasn't so hard was it?" Kraya again. I take the left passage leading to the outer side of the building where the gun emplacement is most likely to be situated. There was another large blast door in front of me. "The AA Gun should be right through here Chief." Kraya said as I picked up two SMGs and replied "Let's do this!"

I planted a sequencer on the locking mechanism and took position by the door. It beeped rapidly then detonated, blowing the lock off and forcing it open and I dashed inside. In the blink of an eye I took in the scene. I was standing on a balcony overlooking a bottom floor where the cannon was. The cannon's controls were located on this floor connected by a thick wire to the gun. There were about eight hostiles in the room altogether, and one scientist operating the cannon at gunpoint. Time slowed, I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my body. My iris turned bleak white with pitch black cracks running through it to my pupil as I dived straight at the guards on the platform nearest the controls with guns blazing.

My vision was blurred and everything had a ghost effect. My target went jerking back at every shot that he took before finally slumping to the floor, the wall behind him splattered with blood. I rolled to a crouching position from my dive and the second merc who held the hostage at gunpoint was turning around to see what had happened. He didn't get the chance for he was blown off the balcony by a hail of bullets. More mercs were now coming up the stairs, painfully aware of my presence as I kicked the last of the balcony mercs to the ground and pumped his guts full of lead.

Sound was muffled and I don't really know if I had control of myself. It was almost like fighting in shellshock. I looked towards the approaching enemies but it was too late. They had already reached the landing and as I was bringing my weapons to bear, they opened fire. I threw myself back and sailed towards the wall as I gunned down every one of them. I back rolled from the move and came to a crouch again. I looked around seeing the soldier's dead bodies lay sprawled across the stairs, blood dripping from step to step. I felt myself over. The move did save my life but I did not come out unscathed. A high-caliber bullet tore its way into my armor and got me in the side.

I winced, trying to get the bullet out but to no avail. I started feeling better as a voice in my suit stated "Morphine Administered" followed by a small PSST and an acknowledging beep. I shook my head as my eyes returned to normal. 'My god there's something up with me.' I thought as I ran over to the scientist now cowering in a corner. "It's okay, you're safe now." I say as the white coat finally realizes that all the Red Hand are gone. "Now, how do I blow this thing up?" "Uhhh… see the metal grates down there?" I look down to see some grates blocking access to large wires. "Destroy the plasma coolant wires and the cannon should self-implode." I vault over the railing, tear off one of the grates and shove an explosive between the thick wires. I quickly rush up the stairs past dead bodies and pools of blood and yell "Get Down!"

What followed was a bright blue explosion of superheated plasma which then dissipated in the air. I took a peek at what used to be the cannon and now a smoking pile of twisted metal. I give a heavy sigh and activate my communications unit. "Squad, report!" "Cypher here, objective destroyed, with prejudice. App here, gun destroyed. Aurora reporting, success. Bower here, banged it up good. Mako here sir, now it's a smoking pile of scrap." "Good," I reply, "I think I know where Bane is. Meet me in the main lobby." Everything went as planned and we assembled in the lift area without much hassle as we proceeded to the top floor. I kicked open the door to the helipad and I saw Bane, a full, blood red dragon decorated with black tattoos and patterns all across his body with two golden horns, huge tattered wings and razor sharp spines along his back and a tan belly. He was holding something high above his head and it was glowing a sickly shade of crimson. Bane turned around to face us, grinned showing long fangs and said, "Kill them."

The dragons surrounding him glared in our direction and my teammates primed weapons. There were six, one for each of us to take, and that was just fine with me. I deployed my predator-like wristblades and lunged at one of them, aiming for the heart when he dodged right and barely evaded my fatal hit. He deployed wristblades similar to mine from his gauntlets and we circled each other waiting to strike. My eyes turned dead white again with cracks running through to my pupil as I made a subtle movement with my left hand and a ventilation shaft smashed into the hostile to the floor where he suddenly pulled out a quarterstaff and jumped up again. He came at me with a crushing strike to my skull but I easily blocked it with my right forearm gauntlet while using the other arm to slash him. He jumped back and rushed at me but I parried every move. Top left, bottom right, sweep to the legs, top, groin... I suddenly grabbed the other end of the staff and jabbed him with it in the chest sending him flying backwards.

I leaped at him, wristblades glinting in the sun to deliver a finishing stab to the heart. He screamed and blood spurted out and covered my armor. I waited for the struggling and the gasping and the writhing ceased. One more kill for the cause. My eyes turned back to normal. By this time my squadmates had finished off the other dragons too and were moving in around Bane. I closed the circle. In front and to the left and right of him, us. Behind him, air and a mile drop to oblivion. Now I could see clearly what the object was. It was a dragon egg. Not just any dragon egg either. It gave off a red aura and dark energy was coursing around the shell. I had absolutely no idea why it was so important at the time but this thing could eventually spell doom for the galaxy.

"Bane is mine." I say through clenched teeth. Bane's smile broadened. "You will not take The Prince I assure you." he replied. I deployed my wristblades once again and he pulled out a metal sword with dark energy arcing up and down its sides. The following battle was the most ferocious one I had ever experienced. I charged straight at him as he raised his sword. He took a swipe at me but I dodged it and lunged for the face. He easily moved out of the way and got up behind me, using my own momentum to make it easier to kick me down. I went sprawling across the floor and Bane came at me for a finishing strike but I rolled away at the last second. He cursed and I sprung to my feet ready to meet the next blow coming at me from my right.

I parried it but he kept coming. Faster and faster he swung his sword down at me to wear me out. I backed away breathing heavily and he grinned menacingly as he raised his sword screamed; "I CALL UPON THE POWER OF THE CHAOS GODS!" he then plunged his glowing sword down into the platform and a red crack ran along the concrete until it reached me. Tendrils of dark energy suddenly erupted from the ground and entangled me in agony. I was screaming. No less than crying out in pure pain and frustration at the top of my lungs. I was being fried. Currents of dark energy raced through me as my skeletal structure was grotesquely illuminated. Lifted off the ground by Banes pure hatred for me. Then it all stopped.

My body thudded to the ground and my suit was useless. I smelt my own charred flesh sizzling away beneath my armor. I stood up, ignoring the pain and the throbbing in my head. I was pissed off and you don't wanna mess with my when im pissed off. I turned around to face Bane and he said "Had enough, weakling?" "Oh no," I reply, "I'm just getting started!" I made a quick swipe and got at his chest. Surprised and infuriated at himself for letting his guard down he lunged at me but I strafed sideways and came at him from the left. He was surprised but easily blocked it and sideswiped at my midsection.

I backflipped away from the blow and pounced at him with both my wristblades aimed straight for his heart. Bane, looking slightly alarmed, pushed me off with his legs and got back to standing but I was already waiting for him. We narrowed our eyes and we took off across the platform at each other, simultaneously leaped in the air and met with a CLASH! We landed back down at opposite ends. My wristblades were useless and sizzling and his sword was lying in two pieces on the sidewalk a mile below. Luckily I specialize in Hand-To-Hand combat. I disengaged my armor and watched it fall to the floor with a clatter, now no more than dead weight, revealing a purple, tailless, spikeless, hornless, wingless BiDra commando.

Bane laughed mockingly seeing that I was a "Mere Grunt". Little did he know that I would be much, much more. He rushed at me, fists raised in a crushing blow to the chest but I easily dodged left and came up behind him with a kick to the neck which sent him skidding across the helipad. He growled at me and charged with open jaws and using my arms I pushed off his shoulders and landed behind him once more. I didn't have time to get a hit in as he turned to me and viciously swiped me away with one arm as I landed on my back and quickly jumped up again, ready to meet the next attack. What happened next was completely unexpected.

He muttered some strange words and the egg in his belt started glowing brighter than ever. He raised his right hand at me and a ball of blood red fire formed and shot straight at me. I was caught in the gut and sent flying over the other side of the roof. I landed with a thud and shakily got up, but he was already on top of me. He picked me up, winded me and delivered a devastating backbreaker, rendering me incapacitated. He looked like he was going to laugh his ass off next when he got up, over the limp, sprawled form of my body and said, "Well, looks like your champion has been defeated."

My squad was speechless, even App looked concerned. They just stood there in stunned silence until I picked myself up and, somehow, relocated every bone that Bane had put out of shape. Disgusted moans came from my team as every CRACK! signaled another bone being realigned. Bane finally noticed, and with shock clearly registering on his face, he slowly stepped away and stumbled back down on the floor. I shook myself down, tested limbs and joints for consistency then glared at Bane with a look that said 'Okay, you are SO dead!' I closed my eyes and when I opened them again my now bleak white iris was pierced by black cracks to the very core. I slowly walked across to him and with every step, Bane took two backwards. He knew something was up.

"I'm going to enjoy this!" I snarled at him as he fumbled for a communicator. "Get me a transport NOW! It's HIM! NOW! The Prince is ---- (**choking sound)** I grasped my hand around Banes throat, cutting off the air supply before lifting him high up and slamming him into the ground. He quickly got up again, limping for cover but there was none. "Come face me you son of a bitch!" I yell while still steadily walking, unfaltering, towards him. Oh yeah, now it was pure terror in his eyes. I grasp him in one hand, by his throat again and deliver a backhanded blow to the face. I then throw him in the air and deliver an uppercut to the torso and sent him flying and crashing headfirst on the ground near a rapidly rotating fan.

I tore the safety plating off the fan and struggled to push his head inside but he gave a good fight. "No! Please! Not like that!" he begged, noticing the rapidly spinning blades below him. I ignored his pleas for mercy and leaned in hard but he had other plans. He spread his wings, catching the updraft generated by the fan and soared in the air, righting himself and swooping down to take a kick at my head but I lunged at his legs unbalancing him and sending him tumbling through the air to impact the ground a meter or two away.

When he got up I gave a flying kick to his midsection sending him staggering back followed up by the rapid strikes to the chest. He tried running but I lifted both my arms and the concrete tore off the pad and formed a wall blocking off any hopes of escape. I came up with a running strike to the face and yelled, "SEE YOU IN HELL!" My claw came down but missed its mark and scratched one of his eyes out instead. He screamed in agony and frustration. Now a torn, scratched, beaten, left eyeless and very bloody Bane leaped at me and caught me off guard but he kept on running straight off the roof and leaped into thin air.

We watched him go over the edge. And we saw him come back up again, hanging onto the side of a gunship. "YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ME!" Bane screamed then zoomed over us into the horizon. My eyes turn back to a dark shade of purple as I feel drowsy and fall to the floor. "Hey, you okay boss?" asks Bower. "Well, incase you haven't noticed, I got shot, beaten up, exhausted, electrocuted and torn apart so I'd say no." I reply warily. Aurora quickly walked over and got to work. "Lie down. Don't move." I go limp and she tries to pull out the bullet lodged in my side. She successfully got it out and I heaved a sigh of relief. Luckily it didn't shatter and give me lead poisoning. Cypher noticed this and said "Oh what a relief! Hey boss aren't you glad there's no chance of sterility?" The squad chuckles. I silence him with a growl and we radio HQ that our mission is complete.

We make our way back outside where VTOL's are dropping off troops and equipment. "I'll be taking my leave now" Kraya said. "Hand me over to that field marshal over there." I walked over to the commander and handed him the chip that popped out of the slit in the side of my head. He took off with Kraya and we received new orders. "Okay squad, we are to defend this place at all costs. We don't know where they will be coming from or how hard but--" The tank shell impacted three meters away cutting me off and knocking us back. "They're here! Red Hand heavy armor!" a soldier yelled before being blown away by a face full of buckshot.

The Red Hand were storming the facility with infantry, tanks and anything else they could throw at us. They charged from buildings and dropships screamed overhead, raining death and destruction on the panicked Coalition forces below. Smoke and dust filed the air as gunfire lit up the streets and explosions tore through the sky. All that was left was chaos. People were dying left and right, being mercilessly cut down and blown apart by the dark, murdering army of the Red Hand. Monsters whose only honor is atrocity.

My squad did the best they could to repel the invaders but there were just too many. Legions of bloodthirsty, armor-clad humanoids charged, screaming at the line of Coalition soldiers. I heard a person radio for heavy reinforcements as I saw the bastards breach the line. There were simply too many of them even for us to handle. I ran screaming at a tank, dodging fire and planted a charge on the hull. It started beeping faster and when it reached a certain pitch it exploded sending flaming chunks of metal everywhere. The fight raged on and on, it seemed the death would never stop.

A 8 foot tall, bipedal mincing machine called a ComBot burst out of a pile of corpses, grabbed a soldier by the head and sheared it off leaving the body to fall limp to the ground followed up by trampling a few more. I raced up behind it and jumped on its back, elbowed its optical sensor creating a hole then chucked a grenade inside watching it erupt in explosions and blow into flaming pieces. Whatever remained of the wreckage was compacted by another oncoming tank which felt like squishing a few good soldiers with its thick treads along its path of destruction. The gunner spotted me as I raced up to it, dodging fire. I dived right and shot the gunner square between the eyes. I then ran up to the barrel and swung up onto it, balancing myself I walked right along it and onto the turret where I flung open the hatch and saturated the occupants with 12mm rounds rendering the vehicle crewless.

I climbed inside and the sound of war subsided a bit. "Alright you sons of a bitches! Lets do this!" I then cry as I loaded the gun and take down a chopper, making it crash into the advancing enemy infantry. I whooped in delight seeing the soldiers burn. I pop out of the tank and yell a fierce battlecry bolstering morale. "GOGOGO!" I shout and a line of BiDras run screaming from one of the trenches around the perimeter. I watch, providing cover as they spray the enemy line with suppression fire followed by the shots of many other men across the battlefield. Rockets finally start being fired and scrapping the enemy tanks as I heave mine over my shoulder and acquire a lock on a Mech and let it loose, demolishing it within seconds. The tanks suddenly stop firing and a deafening roar could be heard. The pounding of many, many feet against the ground.

The brawl was on. Dozens of mercs armed with chainswords rushed at us between the tanks as we prepared for the fight. The sound was deafening as all the merc started to scream in battlerage. I grabbed the hilt and ignited my Energy Sword based off the old covenant design. I saw lights identical to the blades of Energy Swords being ignited amongst the BiDras as well, preparing to meet the mercs head on. I narrowed my eyes and counted off the seconds in my head before all hell would break loose again. Three... Two... One... Then I screamed "NOW!" and a mob of yelling, Plasblade armed BiDras rushed at the advancing mercs.

Swords held high, the two sides collided in a bloody, brutal, gory melee to the finish. Bloodcurdling screams echoed around the battlefield as soldier by soldier came up to the front and was eviscerated. I leaped into the fray, skillfully dodging strikes from chainswords and tazaxes. By the way Energy Swords do not cauterize the wound. I sliced a merc in half and, like liquid, smoothly proceeded to decapitate a second one. I spun sideways delivering a leap kick at a enemy and burying my blade in his heart. I winded a eighth merc in the stomach, got him in a kneeling position, placed my right leg on his left shoulder and decapitated him, kicking the lifeless body backwards into the dirt that was now completely soaked in blood and bodies from either side.

I sighed with relief as the last one was taken down. We still had quite a few men left and the Red Hand were retreating. Soaked in blood and sweat the Coalition had won the day and defended Installation 04. Everyone started cheering like crazy, throwing hands into the air and screaming in victory. I punched my bloodstained fist into the air. We had just won the bloodiest battle these soldiers had ever seen... Then I saw it. The black silhouette of death against the sky. A bomber. I yelled for them to get inside, to take cover, to anything that would save lives. They ran screaming for the building, to escape the imminent blast that would annihilate anyone left in the open. Many injured soldiers were still outside, tending to wounds and waiting to die. Not on my watch. No man was expendable.

I heaved the unable to walk over my shoulders and ran for the blast door and let the others take it from there. By this time the bomber had already deployed its payload of the single, high-yield seismic charge was racing to wards the ground below and the only ones left outside were me and a soldier crouching behind a piece of debris, trying to stop his leg bleeding. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me and lifted the BiDra off his legs and threw him through the blast doors a second before they snapped shut. This was it. The charge impacted six meters away and there was silence... followed by a blinding white light and I was forcefully thrown back against a solid wall, out cold.

Back on the Arrowhead

Commander Loke's Point of View

Kraya shut down the file displaying the recordings of Flair's unnatural abilities. "Dodging bullets, affecting objects... this is unbelievable! He is the chosen one indeed. Destined to be guardian. Put him down as possible new Scarecrow unit." "But sir," Kraya said, "Reports are flooding in that a charge was detonated at Installation 04 sir. And.. well Flair, in a heroic action to save his men... was Killed In Action." Oh god no... this cant be... "Get a med team down there on the double! Farscape them if you have to! He will not die on my hands!" "Sir, with all due respect, no one could've survived a direct hit from a seismic charge, I knew Flair was--" "NOW DAMNIT!" "Yessir!" I sighed and put my head in my hands. Just how am I going to break this to him if he does die? He's been through enough loss... and his vow... I just hope its not too late...


	4. Peers and Prototypes

Peers and Prototypes

Flair's Point Of View

Date: 2343, March 17th

Flair, 17, Dragon, Male

I felt overly drowsy like I'd just been down to the local bar on a Saturday night. I couldn't move either. My vision was blurred as I opened my eyes and saw a dragon, brilliant blue, leaning over me. That's when I realized I was moving. Being pulled along on a hover stretcher by the blue one and another medic at a sprint. How had I gotten here? I was supposed to be dead. Ah god my head hurt like hell was boiling over. The surgeon was yelling at the top of his voice. "Coming through! Move it! Hey, are you deaf! Get the hell out of the way!" I groaned in pain and confusion and the doctor took notice of me being awake. "Lie down Flair, everything's going to be fine." He said, nearly out of breath. I barely took notice as we raced along metal passages and windows displaying the blackness of space. After a few hair-raising turns and near collisions we finally pulled into a large room with many surgeons and engineers crowding around to examine my limp form sprawled across the stretcher. "Okay! His legs!" I heard as a marine took position in front of me and another one came up behind me. They lifted me up in unison onto the adjacent operating table where they carefully set me down again and the doctor leaded in close over me. He took an overhead light and switched it on, preparing to try and save my life. The mask went on and the rest was the back of my eyelids as the surgeons and technicians worked around the clock, replacing, cutting, injecting, molding, welding, sweating, worrying and fearing. Yeah welding.

I woke up as I noticed I was in a bed in some kind of hospital wing. I was wearing a white robe and had electrodes glued to me and plastic tubes leading to my veins. The blue dragon stepped away from a file cabinet and noticed I was awake. "Ah, Flair. You are finally awake. I had feared that the project had failed all together. Now you'd probably like some answers." Damn right. Then I noticed I felt different. I had wings, spikes and horns like the doctor punching something into a computer. All the equipment attached to me suddenly disengaged with a hiss and slid back into the wall. I got up and flexed my new muscles, stared at the doctor disbelievingly then fell back on the bed. "Oh god. This can't be real. It isn't real. I'm dead! I got hit by a bomb! I'm screwed!... wait, who are you and how did I get here? Where is here?" The doctor chuckled and said, "I'd think your reaction would be like that. As for my name, you can find out right now. This would be a good test." I look down at my arms to see veins of glowing blue bio energy coursing through my body. I was different. Much different. "Flair, I want you to focus. Think of what you want to know and… well, you'll see." I screwed my eyes up tight and concentrated my thoughts. I opened my eyes again and looked at the doctor but this time my vision was tinted blue and I could see a reticule locking on the dragon followed by readouts of his name, age, species, gender and loads of other stuff. Dr. Winters, 44, Dragon, Male… This was all too much. I flopped back on the bed again. My god… this is unbelievable. "Ah, so I'd thought this would be hard to take in. I think id better call your friends and tell them the good news, maybe they can explain it better." "MY SQUAD SURVIVED!" I suddenly jumped up from by bed. I had completely forgotten about my team. "Thanks to you, yes and many others aswell. The building kept firm and no casualties were incurred though I do believe a certain Aurora Calhoun was particularly concerned." He said before speaking calmly into a mic. "So, let's get on with the testing. The sensory implants seemed to have worked flawlessly… Ah! Now on to Ballistic Shielding! A masterpiece in modern cybernetic combat systems." He then spoke into a headpiece and two, armed marines walked into the room. "Sir, please stand against that wall." One said, indicating to an area clear of medical equipment. I walked up to it confused, and with my back to the wall the marine raised their weapons. I yelled in shock but it was too late. I shielded myself with my arms hoping somehow that it would stop the incoming bullets. They struck me and a white, shimmering force field protected me from the blasts. Noticing that I was still alive I checked myself. Not a scratch. "Whoa…" I say, speechless with awe and confusion. The soldiers lower their weapons and march out of the room as I stare at Dr. Winters. "Well I might have guessed that was too much of a first hand experience. Now proceeding to Optical Camouflage… uuuhhhh…. Optical Camouflage!" he says to another marine operating a control console. "Sir? We couldn't get Optical Camo online… there were complications…" "Excuse me?" the doctor said in an exasperated voice before sighing. "Uuuhhhh…… yeah…… I'll be someplace else now." The soldier mutters worriedly before scurrying off. "Forgive me Flair, there are still a few kinks in the system. They should be sorted out as soon as you get accustomed to your new powers. Speaking of which…" he was cut off by the pounding of footsteps against the porcelain-tiled floor and the exited voices of 5, armor clad BiDra commandos. They rounded the corner at a run and came to a stop in front of me, staring in stunned silence at my full dragon physique. Then App said, "Wow. What a way to cheat death boss!" "HOLYCRAP! That was awesome! How'd you survive?" Mako exclaimed. "The last time I saw you, you were just a pile of blood captain! Nice to have you back!" Bower. "I thought you were a goner out there leader-man! Nice heroics too, really impressed the big-brass upstairs." Cypher stated while Aurora just kept staring at me in shock. She continued to do this even while the rest of my teammates came over and patted me on the back, complimented me some more, asked a bunch of questions, swore in awe and repeatedly poked me testing for injuries. I ignored all this, just looking back at Aurora with concern and confusion. Cypher, noticing that I was stiff as a board and had my eyes fixated on my girlfriend, motioned to the others to step away. At this point Aurora was probably just as dumbfounded as I was about me being here. The others didn't really seem to care as long as I survived. We slowly walked towards each other still entranced in seeing that the other had lived. We held in an embrace that seemed to last an eternity, then with one kiss, I answered one question. I'd always be there for her.

FLASHBACK

Flair, 13, BiDra, Male

I clung onto the support rail of the gunship, awaiting deployment. Me and a platoon of other soldiers were soaring high above our target. The Biolab in the depths of the Mayazaraian tropics of Kaarltk'Rhhtgoth. "THIRTY SECONDS!" I hear Sarge scream from the back.

_They fall in line, one at a time, ready to play, I cant see them anyway_

I hear the Clinks of priming weapons and a Klaxon sounds indicating that we were about to drop over 15,000 feet into a base inhabited by enemy troops. The bay door opened and we leaped out, hearing GOGOGO! From the Sergeant as he too leaped into thin air. I see Azrael and Smaz pass me on the way down, cheering at the thrill of the HotDrop. No parachutes.

_No time to loose, weve got to move, steady your hand, I am loosing sight again  
_

The ground was coming up fast as I silently angled my way through the air and picked a relatively clear spot to land on. Wind whipped past my helmet, I took a deep breath as the ground was only a few meters away now. I crash into the ground in a kneeling position and I noticed my armor had a mall dent in it from the impact. "Lousy prototype Inertial Dampeners." I mutter as I draw my weapon from my holster and let loose on the startled enemy troops.

_Fire your guns, its time to run! Blow me away! I will stay unless in the mess I made  
_

Bullets scream past us as we charge up and secure the flank, firing off all the way. I take down two more mercs with my rifle. My allies backing me, we scream in rage and tear up the oncoming line of troopers with flying lead teeth. My aim was true as I blew another guys arm off with my shotgun then knocked him dead with a crushing blow from my fist.

_After the fall, we'll shake it off, show me the way!_

I grabbed another and raised him high, using him a bullet magnet to demoralize enemy troops seeing his bleeding corpse being rocked by bullet impacts. I threw his body at a group of soldiers with terrified looks on the faces behind their masks.

_Only the strongest will survive,  
Lead me to heaven when we die,  
I am the shadow on the wall,  
I'll be the one to save us all_

Fury building with every kill, I grab a mercs gun, elbow him in the gut and flip him onto his back and using his own weapon to bury 16 or so 9mm rounds in his stomach. Gripping the trigger, two more were shot dead. The Coalition was winning the battle against the Red Hand holed up in this base. I cheered in victory as I felt three small, metal objects lodge themelves in my flesh. I dash backwards noticing that I had been shot three times with a sidearm. I swore at myself for letting my guard down and that I would brutally kill the jackass that landed those shots. I didnt feel much pain, just shock but that wore off soon enough. I grab two pistols and wield them akimbo as I simultaneously dispatch two mercs at once with shots to the head. Then I noticed that they were retreating, breaking up, being captured. Soldiers started cheering in triumph and waving their hands up in the air. The courtyard was clear and I could have a proper look around. There was a heavy metal gate behind us that led outside. There were 3, now empty barracks, a motorpool, a med center, detention block and research facility. All the guards had been cleared out but I then heard the unmistakeble rumble of a tank rounding the corner. It turned its cannon to take in the surprised and terrified looks on the BiDras faces then opened fire, blowing apart the main line of troops. It briefly started to percipitate limbs and gore and then finally a hail of rounds as the rest of the startled Coalition troops ducked for cover as they were blown away. I saw a man crawling with both hands toward me, crying out for help for his legs had been blown off and he was drowning in his own blood. He then screamed AAAAUUUUGGHHH! as he was crushed by the tank treads, his skull exploding in a shower of brain matter. I was enfuriated. I jumped, screaming with pure rage on the turret and flung open the hatch. The occupants didnt have a chance. I grabbed the first one, lifted him up to eye level and slit his throat, agonizingly slowly, watching him struggle for breath and finally die in my hands and I grinned displaying lethal fangs. I pulled the next poor SOB out of the tank, dug my left hand into his addams apple, placed my right hand on his forehead and snapped his neck instantly killing him. Then I tore out his spinal coord and beat him with it, each dull THUD echoing in the lack of my conciousness. Blood now spilling down the sides of the tank, tinting it red. Finally I pulled out the driver and bit his head off followed by pulling both his arms out of their sockets and kicking the lifeless body down the hard, bloodsoaked outer chassis of his own vehicle. I dusted my hands off and piled the dismembered crew into a stack and poured gasoline over the bodies then lit the whole pile ablaze, sighing with relief. This is how much I hated the Red Hand and how much each and every one of them deserves for what they've done.

_There's nothing left so save your breath, lying in wait, caught inside this tidal wave_

These were just the guards. This is a big complex and I go in alone while the rest of the force secures outside. I bypass the door with a security worm and march inside, ready for anything... or so i thought. The base from the outisde, to say the least looked like a big white cube. It had all the standard though. Vehicle deployment rack, storage area, supply intake chute, landing pad... Inside it looked just as white and dull. Sterile white passageways and coridoors leading to heavy doors with sidepassages stretching off into other unseen wings and sections of the facility. No one around to alert the base of my presence. Its like everyone just fell asleep. I cautiously walked down the halls and kept on the lookout for any enemy presence but there was none. I proceeded directly towards the detention facility and come upon a large blast door identical to all the others that i passed and it read "Detention Block ZT-1200" in large holographic letters on the front of it. I checked my ammo. Full. I placed a sequencer on the door lock and busted it open and charged inside but I didnt even need to raise my weapons. Void. The detention block was empty of guards or even cameras. The captives, or in some cases what was left of them were blocked off behind blue barrier shields and looked like they were about to die of starvation. Most of them were Coalition elite but some i've never seen before. Something was very wrong here and I knew it. I heard a muffled cry from a cell near the end. it was a male BiDra, maroon in color and was lying on the cell floor, clutching his side and brething heavily. "You..." he wheezed, "They took her! You must help me find her!" the soldier continued as I shut down the barrier seperating us. "Who? What are you talking about?" I reply as I see other captives starting to stir in their cells. I lift him upout of the dim, dank prison cell and free the others who then grab weapons and roar in anger. "Now things are starting to look up." I say as I load a shotgun. "So, who took what?" I say to the squad captain. "Our medic! Aurora Calhoun. I heard off one of the security troopers that everybody, and I mean everybody assembled in the main hall for some kind of sick ritual... and they took Aurora with them!" I then try to radio the main force to report in. "This is Delta 236 to Platoon 658 I have found the prisoners, requesting reinfircements. Do you copy?" There was a strange buzzing static then a muffled voice. "Delta! _ffzzzhht _we are unable to reinforce... copy tha--? orders are to exf--static there will be a class 5 satu--_fffzzzht_--ing! get out of...! (connection drops dead)" "DAMNIT!" I yell, pounding my fist on a control panel. "Okay, do you know where they took her?" "The center if the building! There is little time!" We make our way carefuly to the center of the facility and we came upon a long hall leading to a grand double-door engraved with many strange symbols and depictions that I could barely make out. It had no lock and heavy metal handles and I could sense something strange about it but I couldnt place my finger on it. The captain walked up to it and tried to open the doors but my cry of warning came too late as tendrils of dark energy raced from the door frame and struck the captain, electrocuting him with a horrifying YEEEEEAAARRRGGGHHHHH! there was a bright flash and all that was left of the commando was a smoking BiDra skeleton slumped on the floor. Even the armor had vaporised. I hear HOLY SHIT! from the back and I stepped away in shock and rage started filling every gap and crevase in the soon-to-be killing machine that was my body. I throw a charge on the door and everyone ducks. It worked and the door was blown off its hinges and I stalked into the corridoor with two very shocked guards standing guard at a blast door leading to the assembly area. They raised weapons but they didnt even have the chance to fire. I grabbed the first ones face with my foot and slammed him into the wall, utterly crushing his skull (like general grevious). I narrowed my eyes and grabbed the second one, squeezing his throat. Under my grip, flesh gave way and bone shattered and he dropped to the floor, his neck bent at a irregular angle. There was a vengeful fire in my eyes and I knew it. The bastards would pay.

_Your covers blown, nowhere to go, holding your fate, knowing that I will walk alone_

I walked inside a circular chamber with a raised platform in the center displaying Aurora bound to a steel table with a swirling vortex of dark energy just below her. She looked bruised, battered and bloody with hostiles cheering on around and chanting in another language. Sofar, no one had noticed that we were here or priming weapons.

_Fire your guns, its time to run! Blow me away!_ _I will stay unless I may_

I gripped an assault rifle in each and and then blindly ran straight forward yelling in rage at the monsters that would dare exist to defile this universe. I didnt even need to aim, there were so many and clustered together that all I needed to do is aim in their general direction then spray and pray. It payed off as my guns went ClinkClinkClink signifying lack of ammo so I immediately disgarded them, and now most of the stunned mercs in the stands had been overdosed with lead. My teammates were taking down the rest that did survive as I ran up to the platform and broke the chains binding Aurora to her post. She fell to the floor, weak from torture and I heaved her over my shoulder and pelted for the exit screaming "GET THE HELL OUTA HERE!". We sprinted across the base for the exit, mercs popping out of doors to our left and right trying in vain to prevet our escape. The exit was just ahead and so I ran faster than ever.

_Only the strongest will survive  
Lead me to heaven when we die  
I am the shadow on the wall  
I'll be the one to save us allllllll!_

We reached sunlight and tripped over, panting. Then i noticed something was wrong, the platoon wasnt there, they had deserted us. The sonic turret slid out of the roof and took aim at us. "NO! GET DOWN! NOW!" I yell to my teammates who had just noticed the deadly cannon. Energy arced down its sides and the barrel turned a shade of blue, then a sonic beam blasted out of gun, kicking up dirt and sand and blood to form a sick rain of gore. My squad was scattered and I saw Aurora ducking behind a piece of a tank and... It was turning to fire at her! I throw myself in her direction and roll to a kneel, get up and ran straight for it. (slow motion) I tore a greande out of my belt, with one hand knokced the pin out and drew back my arm to throw it. I saw the charge arc through the air, hoping that it would be a hit. If not Aurora would shortly be in 5 pieces or more as I saw the cannon warm up again and heard the hum of the turbines charging up to deliver the crushing beam of sound. The grenade sailed straight for the operators view hatch and dissapeared inside, following was a panicked scream and a explosion of plasma and coolant as I saw a enemy helmet go flying out of the control centre and land at my feet. I sigh and pick it up. The pilot was dead and the cannon destroyed. Better yet i saw a gunship coming for us from the horizon as we cheer and yell and wave our arms high in the air to get its attention. "WWOOOOOOHOHOOO!" I yell, punching the air with my fist, but just then I heard the base door oepning behind me with a hiss and I didnt have time to turn around. Then I felt 12 petal projectiles embed themselves in my back and I sank to my knees, and fell to the floor.

The next thing I knew I was flying over the sea in a gunship with aurora leaning over me. Turns out she saved my life. That how we met and thats how I found my squad too. And ya know how we got our squad name The Deltas? Well that fateful mission was carried out on a ring world more known as Delta Halo.

_FLASHBACK ENDS_

We break and I start smiling, seeing that this is not some dream, this is real. Unnoticed by me or my girlfriend, Cypher being the dumbass that he is was mouthing the lyrics to "I lost my heart to a Starship Trooper" while preforming a little dance, with my teammates rolling on the floor with laughter. To my gratitude, Doctor Winters interrupted, "(clears throat) AHHEM. Well Flair I would think you'd like an explenation for all this. let me take you to the man behind it all... maybe he could explain it better." We walked in silence with the doctor past more wards, laboratories, a few barracks, armories and windows displaying lush green plains and large mountains stretching of into the vastness of the planet. Where were we? We then approached a large tech door with top security as the doctor had his palm scanned, his iris checked, his voice print confirmed and his face scanned into the system. the door hissed open and we entered a circular control room filled with personell at work infront of consoles, computers and holodecks. There was a large holomap on the wall where a dragon, purple in color was eyeing over, indicating his hand to certain continents and readouts to plot tactics and whateverelse he was doing. He looked similar to me in many ways but much older and had a sad look in his eyes, like living barely had meaning anymore. Dr.Winters cautiously approached the dragon and signalled for us to enter, then spoke rapidly do him before coming to a stop behind us. He turned aroud to face us, stony-faced and grim, looked down to us and we raised our hands to our helmets in salute, stamping our feet to the ground as we lowered them. I had no idea at the time though. I was stiff as a board as he looked me over, and smiled. Then he turned over to Winters and aid "You've done a good job with him doctor. I take it the project was a success?" "Yes, absolutely sir. The systems integrated with his physiology very well." Then he turned to me and said, "Meet me in the training room Flair, I have something to show you." I was completely startled at this but remained like hardened concrete, balnkly staring out infront of me before replying, "Yes sir!". I was led by Dr.Winters to the training room where the commander wanted to see me, my squad left behind ofcourse. We entered a vast room with steel walls and a control center up above but apart from that, it seemed completely empty. The door behind me slid open and the purple dragon stepped inside. I turned to face him, my mouth itching with questions. "Why am I still alive? Whats the deal with my new powers? Who are you?" I just burst out. I couldnt take it anymore. This was crazy. He just looked at me, amused and laughed saying, "There will be plenty of time to answer those questions, Flair. Try and guess." I remembered something... the implant. I screwed my eyes up tight, focused and my vision was tinted blue yet again but when the reticule locked on the figure it desplayed no identification whatsoever. My eyes blinked back to normal and I put my head in my hands. What was going on? The dragon walked up to me and said something that blew my mind. "Flair, you are part of a top secret military project codenamed "Guardian". The Coalition noticed your exeptional skills over the years and selected you for the job. You were injured in the field and we saved you by integrating your body with advanced cybernetic combat systems and advanced nanite technology. It was a unique opertunity." "WHAT!" I yell, completely dumbfounded. I stare at him with total shock, my calm, straightforward soldiers demeanour was gone. "You are no longer fully dragon. You are part machine." I look my limbs over, nothing. No robotic replacements whatsoever. Visible ones anyway. "You wont find them like that." he then said. "My suit is not one that you put on Flair." "Waitaminute... YOUR suit!" I say, very confused. "Yes I created the X69 Crisis Suit along with other pioneerings of fusing dragon and machine. I am a high ranking member of a secret militaryorganization, the Legion Ex Drakena that specialize in this sort of thing. You see... after my homeworld was crushed, my heart was anihilated. I felt that I failed my family. Failed to protect them. I was even the previous great Guardian of the dragon worlds. From that day on I've dedicated my life to defending my only son, and the project succeeded. Now do you know who I am?" This couldnt be real. He was Spyro, the last Guardian of the dragon realms that had dissapeared years ago and I was Flair the Bioengineered Draconic Commando. This just could not be possible, yet it just seemed to make sense. He came over and tenderly laid a hand on my shoulder and it felt strangely warm and comforting just like a real dad's would. This completely confused me. "But what about these?" I say indicating my new horns and wings and spines. "And my new powers?" "I made a deal with the Coalition that I would work for them if my son was enrolled there as a BiDra. They purposely withheld the genes that grew wings and spikes and horns, thats how you ended up as a soldier. They reintroduced the genomes and they grew from that. Your new powers are the cybernetic implants fuled by bio-energy, a true advancement but thats only the tip of the iceberg. You are very special Flair, destined to be the next great hero of the Draconic Empire." he indicated to my waist and for the first time I noticed that I had a silver belt with a small etching of a dragons face, half flesh, half machine, what I guessed was the Legions insignia. Instinctively touched the picture on the belt and a surge of energy rushed through me. It was the starangest thing I had ever felt. No pain... just a strange tingling feeling as my body started to give off a white aura. I started to panic as I felt nanites chipping away at my flesh, reforming it atom by atom into what would be my new form. My veins started glowing brighter than ever and my eyes turned a mezmerizing blue. There was a surge of energy and my body was encompassed in energy followed by a flash and in my place stood a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier clad in shining white plastoid armor. My joints and neck composed of multiple strands of thick electric cables and artificial tendons pulsing with brilliant blue bioenergy. There were razor sharp metal spikes along my back angled downwards too. This suit was like a second skin if not a second body. My head was encased in a flexible armor faceplate down to my mouth and my lower jaw was armord too and held tightly to the rest of the suit by a flame-resistant black fabric. My wing membrane was also covered in this protective black fabric and the wing bracings were the same reflective white chromosheath armor plating as most of my body. I was basically a Dragon Grevious with bioenhancements and weapons. "You are a prototype supersoldier who is plated like a tank, can move like a clone assassin, think faster than a supercomputer, aims like a Mjolnir 117 and is loaded with state-of-the-art weapon systems!" he says with great pride in his voice. I tap my belt again, reverting to my dragon form. 'Man will my squad be freaked about this' I think, grinning. "So, you're Spyro, my father, the legendary hero who saved the dragon worlds so many times?" I say, daring to believe. He nods sadly, "It must be very hard for you to take in, or accept im sure but there was no other way. They were out for revenge. I had to hide you or they would have taken you too. I couldnt let that happen. I have already lost so much dear to me. My planet, my friends, my family... That was in the past." he say sadly, the explenation bringing back sad memories. "Times have changed. Chaos dominates in this lawless galaxy. It is your duty to bring peace and justice, your destiny. I have poured my heart and soul into this project and would hate to se it fail. You WILL achieve great things Flair. Make me proud son." he said affectionatly. I am Flair Selinar, son of a hero, and a great man.


	5. A New Threat

**I was a little buisy so I couldnt update this fast. I dont own Spyro or any other non-original content here like... ah well i wont spoil it. Extreme gore and swearing in this one. Sheds a little light on a new character too. Enjoy.

* * *

**

A New Threat

Sev's Point of View

The three spinning red dots locked on my prey and three identical red lines formed a triangular reticule indicating my smartdisc was locked on and ready to kill. I dashed through the treetops without a sound and came to a clearing where a group of reptilian escapees formed a circle to sopt anyone approaching. They were good, but I was better. I flung my disc at the dragon dashing for the group and before he managed to give away my position he was in two pieces on the floor, blood gushing out of the halves that were once a whole dragon prisoner. I didnt need to take them alive, these men were on death row anyway, well basically every prisoner of the Red Hand was on death row the moment they were detained. The dismemberment attracted the attention of the group as they rushed over to inspect the rapidly dying torso. I use this opertunity to activate my cloaking and leap down to the clearing. They suddenly spread out and start looking around and spraying the foliage around the clearing with stolen automatic weapons. Dragons were stronger than I thought. I must've not busted that first dragons lungs bad enough to prevent him blabing about me. Ah well just makes it more challenging! I activate my voice mimicry device just for kicks and it synthisizes the species own voice patterns. They hear "Hey asshole, come get some!" from the surrounding area. I enjoy taunting the enemy with their own language. It makes for cleaner kills and I would not expect anyone other than my species to understand a Pilot cuss. I wait as the leader turns in my direction and looks around, panic in his eyes. "SHOW YOURSELF YOU UGLY FUCK!" He shouts out into the surrounding area and I laugh a deep, soulless laugh. Mainly because fuck is a verb not an adjective. Prey are usually unintelegent and slow witted which makes it even more satisfying to turn ones head into a trophy. I circle to the right and approach one at the back. I grab him by the face and lift him up with one hand. He struggles and tries to call for help but his cries are muffled by my hand in his face as I leap up to a tree. The dragons are ludicrously slow to act upon the disappearance of their teammate. It took about 1.4 seconds for them to notice. "Drek? DREK? Where the hell is Drek?" The leader screams in exhasperation. I activated my wristblades and got to work as the captive screams in agony and my hands are soaked in blood. The screams seem to echo off the trees to create a even more bloodcurdling effect. Then down below a puddle of blood is forming. Dripping from the trees. One of the dragons notice as I wait. He comes closer and calls the rest of them to him. They inspect the puddle and look up to it's source to see their, now skinless dragon comrade dangling from a tree branch high above. Red muscle tissue showing all over the body and blood raining on the POW's parade, I was most proud of this work of art. Best one yet. Flayed, skinned and bleeding it was a monument to the heartless atrocities us Predators can commit, and do commit often. As part of the ritual hunt. But this was a different kind of hunt. A hunt not forsacred tradition or enjoyment, though I still feel the latter. It was a bounty hunt. For credits to keep me alive. I hear whimpers from below and I smile evily. Well you cant really smile with mandables can you? I kick their friend's skin down to the bottom to give them another thing to think about. "My... God... Drek... The bastard!" One says as they stare at Drek's boneless outer-skin. They almost instantly recover and raise their barrels up to the trees and let loose full-auto. "YOU MOTHERFUCKER! YOU WILL PAY YOU HEAR ME! FUCKING PAY WITH YOUR WORTHLESS LIFE!" The leader shouts in a enraged fury. I was surprised and was almost actually shot by the hail of oncoming bullets. Whoa that was close. Never get cocky. You can have fun but never get cocky. The golden rule of the hunt. I jumped down from the trees and landed hard infront of the group which was momentarily taken back. I quickly activated my cloaking and leaped at one, knocking him down with my Combistick and cutting his throat with my wristblades. I impale another through the heart and fling him up into the air while I simultaneously throw my smartdisc which takes down another one and on its return pass, decapitates the first dragon in mid-air. I leaped behind one and with a single wristblade swipe, took his head off. I took aim at another with my Speargun and the telescopic projectile streaked from the gun into the target and embedded the barb deep in his chest. Slash that, straight through his chest and it took him with it, pinning him to a nearby tree. That left the leader and me. Draco-a-predo... or whatever. I was never very good at human metaphors. I lunged at him with my blades but he dahe dback and took aim with his rifle and fired, hitting me in the shoulder followed up by four more rounds to the chest. Green blood was gushing onto the floor as i jumped back and primed my Plasmacaster and activated thermal vision mode. He was running. I could see his heat signature moving farther away. I switched to neural vision and found that he was panicked, confirmed by the flashing green outline. I finally switched to tech vision and found his weapon was out of ammo. I chased him, cloaked through the foliage and trees. He was foolish to think that he could outrun a Predator but then again what chance did he have? My Plasmacaster charged up and spewed forth a ball of superheated energy that raced towards his target, making it blindingly obvious that he was about to die. He suddenly dodged to the side and it missed him by centimetres. I switch to thermal mode again and find him croushing behind a rotten log, breathing quickly and whimpering to himself. I grasp him, hold him down and dig my wristblades down into his spine. I then forcefully run my blades up his spine to his head and take it off as a fountain of blood gushes out I raise the trophy up high above my head and let out a victorious roar that echoes around the forest. His disembodied head under my arm I activate a comunicator and signal my contractor, Bane. "It is done, they are all dead." I speak through my voice synthisizer in plain einglish as I hold up the squad leader's head in front of the device as proof. "Very well Sev, you will recieve full pay and you can keep the trophy. I have no use for it but a paperweight but I do have a new and urgent contract for you." He says, his robotic left eye glistening with malice. "See him?" a holoimage of a BiDra taking down trooper after trooper is displayed on the viewscreen. "A grunt? Meh! He's not worth my time or effort!" I retort, almost offended by the proposition. "He did this to me." Bane says coldly, indicating his robotic eye. "Oh so it's something personal? I think I can do that. But to let yourself be beated by a mere--" I was cut off by the enraged voice of my employer over the comms channel. "HE IS NOT A MERE BOY! HE IS A SKILLED WARRIOR AND A PSYKER. HE IS ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT TARGET FOR THE DAMNED LEGION HIERARCHS AM I UNDERSTOOD!" "Sir" I reply shortly before cutting off the comms channel. "Man this is going to be easy" I say to myself. I was wrong.


	6. Project Guardian

**I dont own Spyro. And K.T. Green Stripe owns Cartreuse (spelling right?) If you dont want him in this I will remove him. **

Flair's Point of View

Torchlit chamber. No way out. I lashed out at my opponent with my claws but he easily dodged right and lunged at me, knocking me into the wall but I quickly got back up into a fighting stance. He attemped a grab but I took his arm, placed my leg on his chest and pushed back hard while releasing him, whinding him and sending him skidding into the opposite wall with a loud THUD. We got up, my father slightly shaken "Well, I thought i'd be dreading the day my son could beat me at most things!" Spyro replied before laughing and giving the thumbs up to the operator in the control room and the walls around us desintegrated as the programme was shut off leaving us in the footbal pitch-sized training room.

Me and my father decided to have a lighthearted sparring match to take my mind off things but now we were moving on to weapons testing. I tap the etching again and I am engulfed in light. I feel nano assemblers rearanging my molecular structure once again as I am reformed into the Prototype X69 Crisis Suit, a hybrid of Biometal and Ancient Pilot Tech enfused military hardware capable of almost anything. "Hell yeah!" I say raising my fists in the air. My dad then indicated to my wrist gauntlets. "Wrist blasters based off the Predator energy flechette. Also, multiple ordenance launchers and a compressed antimatter sniper feature." I fist my hands and the blasters deploy, ready to fire. I take aim at a practice drone and tighten my fists as dual blasts of superheated plasma streaked through the air and impacted the target, liquiflying around it in a coat of deadly energy before reducing it to a pile of molten slag. I stare at my gauntlets in awe and narrow my eyes. This was going to be fun.

I rush into the training arena and drones start to power up left and right but I waste no time and take aim at the line of oncoming robots, wrist blasters primed. I suddenly yell out and let loose full on the advancing drones, watching them being scrapped one after another after another. I started feeling dizzy and weak. My view went out of focus and I nearly blacked out as my knees buckled and the firing ceased as I tumbled to the floor.

The tech operating the controll console noticed this too and recalled the drones as my father came over and placed a caring hand on my back as I tried to get up, energy returning to my body. "Uuhngg, what was that all about?" I say, rubbing my forehead. "You havent exercised you're cybernetic implants yet and you were depleting you're bioenergy much to fast for you're system to cope. Bioenergy keeps you alive and powers you're suits systems. Weapons, targeting, muscle articulation, everything. It recharges over time but if you let it reach critical levels you will be left very vulnerable on the battlefield." he says with concern in his voice and on his face. I got up again, shook myself down and said, "Okay lets move on," Spyro nodded and two more drones appeared out of a wall to my right.

I aim my gauntlet and fire a ECM dart at one of them, upon impact scrambeling its circuits and frying the central processor. With a crack and a fizzle of electricity, it falls limply to the floor. I shoot a rocket dart at the second and a small explosion resounds blowing the drone off its feet and into a nearby wall, shattering it's internal system and I watch, amused as it slowly slides down the wall and crumples into a heap of smoking metal and loose circuits. Another target pops up a considerable distance away and I raise the gauntlet to eye level and my vision automatically switches to a targeting scope and rangefinder. A blue laser pointer activates and I take careful aim at my target as it seems to be bathed in a glowing red light, highliting weaknesses and strongpoints. I steady my hand and twitch my index finger as a beam of energy blasts out of the gauntlet and puts a clean hole straight through the robots torso as it just seems to stand there for a few more seconds then falls flat on its face.

"SWEET!" I jeer, punching the air in exitement. I turn to Spyro and he seems pleased that I enjoy my new body. He walks over and instructs me to tense my shoulder muscles and I do so, resulting in two massive rail cannons swing up and position over each shoulder from a concealed compartment on my back. "The rail driver. A single, magnetically accellerated, plasma coated, high-penetration projectile is sure to force its way through _anything_." He says with pride in his voice. "Give it a try." I was happy to oblige. A 18 inch thick adamentium armor plate was raised into the arena. I swing myself to face the plating and somehow tensed muscles that triggered the gun. I heard the high pitch sound of the cannons charging and flet immense muscle stress as the guns barrels started glowing blue. Energy particles started to gather around the muzzle and the rail driver started glowing brighter than ever, enegry now racing up and down the exterior. I instinctively gripped the floor with my clawed feet, bending the metal as I tried to get a firm grip. The cannons suddenly spewed forth two concentrated blasts of white hot, plasma-encoated death as the recoil sent a shockwave through my body and into the surrounding room. It was as quick as the blink of an eye. I fell on my knees, panting at the total energy exertion into firing the railguns as they swung back and retracted into my armor. _Atleast I'm getting the hang of this_. I thought as I got up and inspected the thick plating. It now had two, three inch wide holes, clean through the center. It seemed like it was manufactured like that if you discound the sizzling of the exess plasma eating away at the adamentium. "Indestructable my ass." I mutter as I shake off a wave of fatigue that washed over me.

"Any other toys?" I ask Spyro as I stretch my overworked muscles. "Just the homing rockets, then we're done for today Flair." I lower my arms to my sides and tense my torso as told and two small flaps fold back to reveal a pair of holes out of the back of my shoudlers harboring missiles and my vision switches to thermal tracking mode. I instantly notice the attack buggy at the other end of the area and a reticule locks on and starts flashing. I draw back my shoulders and a pair of missles boost out and rocket over my head as they scream towards their target. I see a large blot of white, red and yellow around the rockets impact zone and I zoom in after the smoke has cleared to confirm a direct hit. All that was left was a smoking frame.

I walk wearily back to the prep room and reverted to my original form, I knew that was only the minimum extent of my abilities. I had way more. I put my head in my hands and heaved a deep sigh out of fatigue and frustration. Then a sense of calm and relaxation came over me and that is just when I realized that Aurora was behind me, tenderly massaging my broad shoulders. "Hey," I say quietly. "You were great out there, but are you feeling okay?" "Yeah, i'm okay. Just tired." I say getting up slowly. She stared at my new body with her jade eyes and ran her fingers up and down my back spikes affectionately. I grin at her from the side of my mouth and say, "Where are the others?" "Waiting for you outside." She replies, unshed tears forming on her face. I make a move to wipe them off but Aurora turns away and flatly says, "I'm fine." She was always good at masking emotions. "Now, lets go."

Aurora's Point of View

Turns out I was not fine. Even the thought of loosing him was to hard to bear. I had come so close and we had already come too far for that. I knew there was something about him, I just couldn't place my finger on it. It was a soldiers job to hide all emotion and focus on the task at hand because more often than not, distractions were fatal. The reality of it was that I did have many surpressed feelings, after I was rescued by the Coalition from the mean streets of my homeworld Ckhalava-Yaal and inducted here as a medic I felt left out, useless. Until I met him. Flair didnt treat me like another expendable piece in a game, a worthless sideliner. And he proved this by risking his life for me and others countless times through out the course of this war. He made me feel genuinely appreciated. More than I had ever felt in my life. Like but only once before. I never knew my parents and survived on luck and ingenuity, learnt to wield a firearm at the age of nine and had grown up with the scum of the poverty stricken streets of Neonopolis, the thriving capital of the corrupt, syndicate controlled planetwide city. The center of civilized space. Where the known universe began. But below all the glamour and bright lights of the top dwellers lived a darker, more dangerous world where criminals prey on the weak and defenseless. A place without justice or honor of any kind, which is run by rival criminal gangs who vie for superiority of the lower leves, where you could be killed and no one would blink an eye. I know this because I grew up there, in the dirty slums where crime, large and small runs rampant. To put it in contrast, If you go as deep as Sublevel 04 you'll need to hire a posse of armed guards just to cross the street.

Built on the ruins of cities before it, Neonopolis was all skyscrapers and walkways. Brightly lit boulevards where one could find anything ones heart would desire. But the actual ground that the city was built on is so far down that not even the bravest warriors venture down there. There are roumors of what as inhabited the lowest of the floors but none of those can be properly affirmed. The patrols that were sent down there never and I repeat NEVER came back. Not a single man or woman or even heavily armed drone reported back to review findings. Me? I had to steal for a living. At 12 I had become a freelance mercinary but I stayed away from conrtact killings and only ever took a life in self-defense. No one ever really cared for me other than a would-be plaything. Go figure. Even at that age I was well aware of the horrors that reside in that urban hell.

Murder was commited daily, savage beatings for peasure and many other stuff that i'd rather not mention. But I survived through all this. Thanks to an old friend. A cyborg nicknamed Truce. He and his gang were different from the rest. Only took what they needed and mostly from other gangs. He and his band of dragons would roam the underlevels in search of food and shelter, protecting the weak and upholding atleast some honor. They were even named the Vanguard of the Underworld. They value life above all else and never let a single member die. They were a small group but had strong willpower and a dream of freeing the underlevels from the tyrany and injustice they were put under every waking day of their pitiful lives.

Truce was like a brother to me. Watched over me, protected me and instructed me in the harsh living environments that I was born in. I dont even know how I was born but I do know that if Truce hadent found me when he did, I would be either dead, rotting in some prison cell or the personal property of some drug lord. They gave me a home, and a purpose other than that for plain survival. But there was one perticular creep that kept on trying to get under my skin. Daemion. He was with Truce and I hated that guy. He was useless for all I cared. His only skill seemed to be a bullet magnet but even that was irritating because as the group's medic whenever he got shot I had to help him which gave him an excuse to have me hovering over him all the time. Never made the move though.

Anyway, there was Truce, or Cartreuse, the team leader... he was named after his color which was a lighter tone of green, had his spikes shaped forward in a mohawk and was addicted to mint. Sections replaced are right arm, left leg and left eye. There was Sapphire, slim phisique, eyeshadow and claw polish. Name says it all for the color. Our woman on the inside. She mainly stays away from home base snooping around and who knows what else. Perfect for the job too and has a soft, seductive accent. Akula, resident weapons specialist with a dark red color, grey belly, horns facing forward and a gold dragon medallion that he has, on every account, refused to pawn. Has a large build, likes to boast and has a strong American accent. Very loyal. Camino, a sky-blue dragon with no horns and a black belly serving as the team's techie and local wisacre. Hey, every squad's gotta have one to maintain overall sanity. Thats what I figure anyways. Shadow, the covert op guy. He looked as if you took a beautiful, star filled night sky and wrapped it around him, head to foot. Horns are the color of soot. Secretive, cold and calculating, dosent talk much, quite tall, likes rock music especially Evenesance. Face creased in a eternal scowl. Must have some deep secrets or some kind of massive loss. Dark and dry sounding voice. Twitch, sniper, tan scales and khaki belly, is often covered by camo and warpaint. Has a fiew piercings. May have more, never looked. Is normally very calm despite his name. It meant he had quick reflexes. Exessevly cleanes his rifle. Is high on self-esteem. Daemion. Recon and smoothetalker. Supposedly joined just to be able to have a go at me. Is dark green, muscular and carries a variety of grenades ranging from ECM dets to Spidermines. Horns are black and often wears an earpiece and antena. I just call him Demon. Finally, theres me, Aurora. Medic, Turquoise sclaes and matching belly. Darker green stripes on muzzle. No horns.

Thats the end of the history lesson. Me and Flair made our way through corridors and past Scarecrow units. Vanu bio-machines with organic organs encased in armor. Humanoid form with retractable wings and jet boosters. I noticed Flair was shooting glances at me but I didnt mind too much. "The others are in the cafeteria doing god knows what to pass the time." I say, slighlty bemused. We round a few more corners and arrive at the caffeteria. "Im surprised," Flair says, "I would have thought that most of the soldiers here relied on batteries." "The Coalition arent THAT inhumane." I reply in a cynical tone. We find the others at a table and Flair starts to approach but I hold him back. "Lets watch."

Cypher: (tosses a peanut into the air and catches it in his mouth)

App: Hey, bet a five you'll choke on the next one.

Cypher: You're on! I cant loose!

App: I already told you, ya cant preform the Hiemlech maneuver on yourself!

Cypher: Just watch me. (tosses another peanut straight down throat and falls back choking)

App: (raises brow skeptically)

Cypher: (starts dashing around the room repeatedly bashing into stuff with his torso)

Mako&Bower: BWAHAHAAHAHAH! (pounding fists on table)

App: Sweetest five bucks I ever made!

Cypher: (runs over to App and rapidly points to mouth while ghasping for breath)

App: (rubs fingers together indincating cash)

Cypher: (pulls out a twenty and App takes it)

App: (grabs Cypher and forcefully shoves both fists against stomach)

Cypher: When... (cough)... did you become... (ghasp) a medic? (cough, hack)

App: I didnt, thats Auroras job... Speaking of which, there she is!

"Gambling, how obvious." I say as we walk over to the table. Bower comes over and says, "Hey, great aim with those blasters, almost puts me to shame!" Similar coments are said about my preformance in the training arena but Cypher just mumbled. I looked at him and said, "You didnt even pay attention did you?" "Ahh... No... not really..." "You, above all people, miss a prototpe weapons test? What was going through you're sick mind Tanden?" I lightly mused. "I wouldnt use the term sick sir... uuuhhhhhhh... erm... aahhhh what the hell. Anyway, I know you're exhausted after the training match, so I took the liberty of organizing a pep speech." he says with his trademark 'innocent' face on. Cypher then turns to the rest of the crowded caffeteria and yells "ATTEN HUT!" The buisy troops in the cafeteria immediately stop what their doing and stand up in military salute. Then Cypher says, "ARE YOU READY TO GIVE YOU'RE LIVES IN DEFENCE OF PEACE?" "SIR YESSIR!" The hall choruses. "DO YOU GIVE A----" He was cut off by the troopers saying in unison, "SIR NOSIR!" Cypher then yelled, "DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW THAT YOU ARE GAY!" "SIR NO--- (confused murmurs echo around the area). Cypher was now grinnin ear from ear. "Ya see, its a trick question, so either way you answer it implies that you're--" he was cut off again by a sobbing from the back. "She does! (snif) She does!" we hear from somewhere in the sea of soldiers. "Ooooookkkkayyyyyyy..." Cypher said, just as miffed as us. "Well," he turns to me, "It's a new perk for our new ranks! We're now Black Ops commandos! Sweet!" I spoke for both me and Flair that this squad never ceased to amaze, and in this case amuse us.


End file.
